I found Brenda Sherry's blog, and even more the activity she discusses, to be a very practical as well as innovative use of the internet in the classroom. I am of the belief that a disservice is done to the students when everyday media and technology is not incorporated in the classroom. As educators we should be aware that our students have access to the internet at the fingertips almost all the time. We should embrace this, and try to incorporate positive qualities of the internet in our classroom. By not including the positive resources of the internet in the classroom we are unintentionally implying that the internet is a not a useful educative means. Blogging, for example, gives students an opportunity to utilize a different medium to express their thoughts and to interact with contemporaries.
Sherry use of blogging with her young students is effective for a variety of reasons. Her teddy bear idea is one that the students grasp onto because it involves the sharing the things they enjoy to do out of classroom, as well as in the classroom. I am fairly certain that most kids would LOVE LOVE LOVE to share anything they does not have to do with school work. The use of the feedback and comment options encourage the students to participate. This also reinforces the idea that blogging and internet resources are indeed useful as educative tools.
Yes, it's great to be able to tap into our young learners' desire to interact socially online and direct it into an engaging learning experience. Glad you enjoyed the article.
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